Christmas Presents Revealed, Part 1
January 6, 2012
Now that Christmas is over, I can write about all the Christmas gifts I made.
Nook and iPad cases
Made for:
Dan got the Nook case
George (my SIL’s beau got the iPad cover)
Pattern:
The Original Padded Nook/iPad Cover
by Birdiful Stitches
Fabric:
recycled men’s clothes
Alterations:
Rather than edgestitch all around the cover, I opted to only edgestitch in between the corners. My reason for doing this was based on the fact that the cover fit quite snug on the Nook before the finishing details. I was concerned that the edgestitching would steal up to an 1/8″ away from the corner tabs and the Nook would no longer fit. After stitching all the way around the inside of the area that would hold the Nook, I couldn’t resist repeating the stitching twice over, each 1/4″ apart.
I just love the look of quilting.
Review:
This pattern was quick and easy to make. The dimensions are accurate; my Nook fits perfectly.
Yet, I wouldn’t recommend this pattern for a beginner sewer. Some steps are assumed, such as the turning and pressing of the loop closure, and thus not included in the tutorial.
Review from Dan:
He loves it. However, he wishes that there was an opening for the headset jack … and so I am making one post-haste.
Xmas present #3 – Tote bag
November 17, 2010
Stats:
Pattern: Simplicity 2830
Pattern alterations: I lined the entire bag including the exterior pockets. I hate unlined bags.
Fabric: Exterior fabric is home dec cotton purchased from Jo Ann’s Fabric store. Interior fabric is home dec cotton recycled from curtains that used to hang in our dining room.
Review: I bought this pattern without realizing it called for a zipper. I almost threw the pattern in the trash after I got home and read the instructions.
After quickly becoming overwhelmed with the plethora of bag patterns online, I stayed with what I had.
The pattern was easy to follow even with the lining alterations I made along the way. The only hiccup occurred in step 3 when I was supposed to sew the body of the bag together. The directions didn’t explain well where I wasn’t supposed to sew. The diagram was equally unhelpful. It took a bit of sewing followed by some seam ripping to get my bag to look like theirs. The zipper section, on the other hand, went together without a hitch.
Should you ever decide to sew up this particular pattern, the directions for Step 3 are simply stating that you need to sew the straight bottom edge along with the straight sides up to the top of the pocket. The steps or corners between the bottom edge and the sides should remain free. Ignore the diagram.
Final verdict: If I wasn’t giving this bag away as a Christmas present, I’d use it myself. It’s practical thanks to all the pockets and the zipper. Plus, it doesn’t look half bad. The lining should help it wear well, since the pretty exterior fabric isn’t that thick or sturdy. Here’s hoping the recipient likes it.
